Ashley Highfield, the BBC's former digital chief, today said the BBC should look at charging for iPlayer video-on-demand content now it has helped kickstart the UK online TV market.

Highfield, speaking as part of a panel discussion at the government's digital creative industry conference C&binet, was asked by Talkback Thames chief executive, Lorraine Heggessey, if the BBC should charge for iPlayer.

The former director of BBC future media and technology, now the managing director of consumer and online at Microsoft UK, argued that now the iPlayer had established itself as the market leader among VOD services run by UK broadcasters, it was worth re-examining the free content proposition.

"I think the iPlayer was a catalyst to get a lot more content [made available on-demand] in the UK," Highfield said, highlighting the role it has played in the nascent online TV market. "All boats rise on that, commercial or not."

However, Highfield, who played a key role in launching the iPlayer before leaving the BBC last year, added that some of the tenets on which it is based – such as setting a standard seven-day catch-up window – should be reviewed.

"A reasonable question to ask now is about 'windowing'," he said. "Is seven days free right or should it be shortened [and should the BBC] get rid of hold-back periods [so commercial companies can more quickly exploit online TV revenues from content]?"

Marc Watson, the chief executive of BT Vision, which also offers VOD content, agreed there should have been a charge for the iPlayer, but added that "it is probably too late now".

"I believe the BBC should be allowed to charge for the iPlayer. It should be possible going forward," Watson said.